- I worked as a hair and makeup artist for over six years, so I've seen my fair share of trends.
- I'm not a fan of the wet-hair look or slicking my hair back into a tight little bun.
Beauty trends cycle through so quickly nowadays. It can be difficult to identify what was too much of a flash-in-the-pan to even be considered trendy and what might be a little more long-lasting.
It doesn't help that the global beauty industry is valued at over $600 billion, and companies are avalanching us with new products everywhere we turn.
Luckily, I was a hair and makeup artist for over six years and still sometimes work with clients, so I have an eye for beauty trends.
Here are five recent fads that I won't be trying anytime soon.
My face isn't a glazed doughnut
When Hailey Bieber started wearing extra-glowy makeup — dubbed the "glazed doughnut" trend — she set the internet ablaze.
I like doughnuts as much as the next person, but there are more subtle ways to achieve a nice, dewy glow. Piling on shimmery products can make you look greasy after a while unless you're hanging out in a temperature-controlled environment or have some powder at the ready.
Instead, I use mattified foundations that work well in natural light and keep more tame, buildable glow options (like highlighters) on deck.
I don't really get the fake-freckles trend
Don't get me wrong, I love a good freckled look. But as a professional artist — unless I'm doing costume makeup — my goal is to enhance my client's existing features.
The only time I really dip into fake freckles is when a client needs a more full-coverage look but wants to keep their natural freckles visible.
For everyday looks, giant, chunky "freckle" placement is just not something I am going to engage in.
I don't leave the house with wet hair
I can confidently say that I do not specialize in the wet-hair look.
All power to the edgy hair artists who work with the Kim Kardashians and Megan Foxes of the world, but this trend is super specific. It also translates very differently depending on hair color, hair texture, weather, and accessories.
I don't have to try it to know it's not for me. I could easily mess the wet look up and end up looking like an oily mess.
Underpainting is too involved
Underpainting is a newer concept in the makeup world. The application method involves layering colored products (like blush, bronzer, and highlighter) under base products in a way that claims to subtly sculpt your features and achieve another level of blending.
But I recognize it for what it is: A complete waste of product.
Professional makeup artist Alexis Durr is especially against underpainting with blush products.
"Layering pigment like that mostly causes you to take more time color correcting than anything else," she said.
The lesson here is that you can achieve pretty much the same results with a fraction of the product if you just apply them as you normally would.
Tight, tiny, unforgiving buns aren't my thing
I have never said out loud that I won't pull hair as tight to someone's head as possible to create a tiny topknot. But every single person who has sat in my chair and requested a sleek bun has changed their mind after seeing other looser looks in the same vein.
I'm sure some hair types are absolutely suited for tight hairstyles; mine just isn't one of them.
Slicked-back buns are uncomfortable, especially for longer wear, and I don't want to inadvertently cause any hair loss or damage.